Space Robotics Mechanisms Intern (Summer 2027)

General Astronautics; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

General Astronautics is seeking Mechanical Engineering Interns for Summer 2027 in El Segundo to design, build, and test robotic hardware for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. The role spans mechanism design, CAD, analysis, prototyping, testing, and integration of robotic joints and end effectors.

You will own hardware from requirements through a tested assembly, working closely with a mentor and the founding team to support upcoming demonstration missions and flight-ready systems.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in engineering, physics, computer science, or math by the start of employment
• GPA not specified in ad
• Strong fundamentals in prototyping, order-of-magnitude estimation, and hand calculations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work alongside engineers, technicians, and the founding team
• Ability to take ownership of technical problems and adapt as priorities change

Responsibilities

• Own a mechanism or subassembly from requirements and trade studies through detailed design, prototyping, and testing
• Develop CAD models and engineering drawings, including material selection, tolerances, and assembly processes
• Perform hand calculations and FEA to evaluate structural margins and validate designs across expected load conditions
• Build prototypes, test fixtures, and instrumentation to evaluate hardware performance
• Write and execute test plans, analyze results, and use the findings to improve your designs
• Support qualification and acceptance testing for parabolic flight and on-orbit demonstration hardware
• Produce drawings, analysis reports, bills of materials, and assembly documentation that others can build from
• Evaluate manufacturability, cost, and design risk, and work with the team to integrate your hardware with the robot, payload, and vehicle

Skills

Prototyping

Hand calculations

Ownership mindset

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor-level engineering/physics/math/CS

Tools

Siemens NX

SolidWorks

MATLAB

ANSYS

Job description

General Astronautics is seeking Mechanical Engineering Interns for Summer 2027 in El Segundo to design, build, and test robotic hardware for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. The role spans mechanism design, CAD, analysis, prototyping, testing, and integration of robotic joints and end effectors.

You will own hardware from requirements through a tested assembly, working closely with a mentor and the founding team to support upcoming demonstration missions and flight-ready systems.